LANSING — Camping fees at Michigan state parks are set to increase on Aug. 1 as the Department of Natural Resources attempts to keep pace with higher costs.
The increase will come in between $4-10 per night at modern campsites, which are sites that have access to a flush-toilets and electricity.
The bump will apply to most state camping options, including Interlochen, Mitchell and Silver Lake state parks.
Overnight stays at those sites will now fall between $30-50.
Jason Fleming, parks and recreation resource section chief with the DNR, says that the new rates have already been in effect for anyone making reservations for August or later.
“We try to do this every several years to kind of keep pace with consumer price index and inflation — the cost of staffing, the cost of utilities,” he said. “Keeping up on on those types of things — supplies, costs, they change.”
Fleming says that more than 95% of state park funding comes from those who use their services — only 3% comes from the state, while nearly half comes from camping and lodging reservations.
“It’s really critical that not only these fees are helping support the park, but we have to make sure that they’re affordable so people will want to continue to come,” he said.
There will be no fee increases for rustic camp sites, which include state forests and some state parks.
Campers can expect the next regular rate increase in two to three years.
